Allie

Allie

By: Emma Ladner

Chapter One

If there was anybody just like Steve I would puke. See my life isn’t the normal, fashioned life. When my little triplet brothers were born my dad died so it wasn’t a nice life. My ma, Debby Lucy Johnson, then married a strong man named Steve. And now Steve lives with us. And five years ago, my brother Mike, left for World War 1. Mom says he will return but when my mom is asleep Steve prays to god that Mike will die. My sister, Mary, is five years older than me. She’s into boys and stuff. But me, no way. I’m only nine, nine and half to be exact. We live in a little log cabin with only two bedrooms, and three free rooms. Mom and Steve’s is on the first floor and the other bedroom is in the attic. That’s where all of us sleep; Lucy, Mary, Peter, Stephen, James, Jennifer, Cole, Will, Sam, and I. And yes it’s crowded. The triplets share a bed [Cole, Will, and Sam all two years] and the twins [James and Jennifer both four] share a bed, and Peter and Stephen [a year apart, Peter is older] share a bed, and Mary and I share a bed. We aren’t the richest family. The Smiths are. The Smiths are the top people. Steve works for them. And all of us expect Cole, Will, and Sam go to only school in town. The Smiths crowned the town and called it; The Smith Town. Now that doesn’t mean only people with the last name Smith can live there. It’s just their family have lived their longer than all the animals [cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and roosters]. But the Cherokee Indians moved out when the first generation; Mr. Smith, began cutting down trees. And now the woods is by a big lake and in the woods the Indians live. We have a good farm… so far we have tons of crops going right. Two years ago when my dad died the crops began to die and the only food we had left could only fit eleven people. Dad left the food to us kids and mom. And he died from starvation. Mom sometimes whispers to herself that it’s her fault she didn’t share her food. And when Dad left he gave me the biggest hug and kiss and then held looked at all of us and then died. Then we buried him on Maple Hill, the tallest hill in Smith Town. Steve is a smith. Not related but like a hardware smith, that makes axes and swords. Mostly guns to keep out the raccoons. Dad only left us a small fortune and we spent it all by buying crop things. Steve sometimes brings home new things. Steve even has his own smithing house in our backyard. Steve is a very stubborn man. Sometimes most of us [expect Mom] wish we weren’t even born. When Mom isn’t around Steve is pretty much the Devil. But when she comes back he acts like the sweetest dog ever. Steve killed our dog when Mom was asleep and when Mom woke up he said a wolf killed it. We haven’t had a dog since. We still haven’t forgiven him. And then another time I was writing a letter to Mike and Steve stole it and wrote I hate you in it and then sent it. Then Mike wrote back to me and said me too. At first I didn’t know what he was talking about when he started saying I was a cow and all and then I found out that Steve had written it when Mike wrote, It doesn’t look like your handwriting. And then I knew it was Steve and slapped him and then Mom spanked me with the row boat paddle. At school there’s a couple of boys who love me. There’s Chris Smith, the mayor’s son, William Griffin, a smith’s son, and Pete Samson, a annoying man’s son. Most of my friends object all them because guess what? I don’t have any friends that are girls! They are all boys! I don’t have any dollies or stuff like that but Mom sometimes make me do girly stuff like sew or knit when I would rather be outside playing in the lake with my friends in the rain. I a lot of the times do it. We have our own little fort and sometimes hang around Deal’s, a candy store. One time at two in the morning my friends woke me up and we did a prank on my sister. That was the time they stayed the night at my house and that was the day I found out that Mary snored. But when Mary woke up she screamed like a wart was growing right atop her lip, sealing them shut. We laughed our heads off outside. I know I might be a girl but that doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with boys. I’ve never been really good with making friends with girls because when they want to play dolls I want to draw on the dolls’ faces. And when they want to play dress up I want to go play in the mud. And when they want to sew I want to go throw eggs at the ground. So I’ve never made a friend that’s a girl. Only the boys like that kind of activities says Stephen and Peter. I hope they are right… I don’t want to make girly girl friends. My mom says I should try making friends with girls but I just… can’t! See when I try to make friends with girls they run away screaming. We have the nicest teacher ever; Mrs. Dennis. A lot of the times the gang of boys; The Birds, have detention. And no I’ve never kissed one of the boys. Mary says I can’t call myself a woman until I do. So that’s why I’m trying to avoid the kissing mood. One of the top girls, Sara Batman, has kissed Chris Smith and they were dating for two weeks and then Chris broke up with her for me and now she hates my guts. Anyways now you get my life… it’s pretty simple, isn’t it?

Chapter Two

“Wake up Allie!” said Stephen. I opened my eyes and Stephen’s green eyes poured in my face. “It’s time for school, booger.” He said. I threw my pillow at his face and he fell laughing. I got out of bed and went behind the curtain and dressed in a brown dress and brushed my hair. Then I put on brown shoes and then I went to breakfast. Steve and Mom hugged and kissed and Steve left. Then we all sat and Mom served us to breakfast. I sped ate and then grabbed my books and threw open the door. Then I ran outside and crashed into my friends; Dylan, Drake, Ethan, and Sam. “Hey.” They said, helping me up. “Gosh, you wouldn’t believe this.” I said. “What?” they asked. “Last night I had a dream that Sara ripped my guts out.” I said. “Could happen.” Said Drake. I shrugged and took out my journal. “Hey, look at this picture.” I said. I opened my journal to a page of one of my drawings. I had drawn a picture of me hugging a dog. “My mom says we are getting a wolf pup.” Said Ethan. “I want a dog but I’m scared Steve will kill him or her too.” I said. “What does your mom see in Steve?” asked Dylan, burping. “Yeah, he’s a jerk.” Said Sam. “I don’t know but- Oh god.” Sara was walking over to us. “Run.” Said Dylan. “Stop John.” Said Sara. I looked at her. “What?” I asked, crossing my arms, ignoring the name ‘John’. “You owe me big time.” Said Sara. “Why?” I asked. “You took Chris from me.” Said Sara. “I didn’t take him, he wanted me probably because he didn’t want a sassy ugly girl for his girlfriend.” I said. There was an ooh. The bell rang. “You got away John.” She said and ran up to school. We all walked into the classroom where Mrs. Dennis stood. “Okay, children. Take out your boards and chalk.” Said Mrs. Dennis. We did as told. “Now tell me, Allie, what is the answer to X divided but Y?” asked Mrs. Dennis. I wrote  it down. “Z.” I said. “Correct.” Everybody wrote it down. Dylan elbowed me and pointed to the right. I looked to the right and saw Chris staring at me. I elbowed Dylan and he snickered. “Something funny Mr. Carson?” asked Mrs. Dennis. “No.” said Dylan. “Ok… if you laugh any more times straight detention.” Said Mrs. Dennis. “Ok.” Said Dylan. Mrs. Dennis went on blabbering about lessons and I just kept looking over at Chris. He kept staring at me through class.

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After class when we got out my friends chanted, “Allie and Chris sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g! First comes love,” Then I said, “Shut up you vultures!” Then they laughed. When we got to the creek we took off our original clothes and under we had other stuff. Underneath my dress was one of my real dad’s old shirts and some shorts. I then put my books under the tree along with my dress. And then I climbed up on a stone ledge, grabbed a rope hanging from a tall oak tree, and holding onto the rope, I pushed off the ledge and then dropped from the rope into the creek. Then when I came to the surface Dylan jumped in. Followed by Drake, Ethan, and Sam. When we got to the ledge again Drake grabbed my shoulder. “Hey you know what?” he asked. “What?” I asked, taking hold of the rope. “You’re not like most girls… you know you hang out with boys. Most girls hate boys… but you don’t have one friend that’s a girl.” He said. “Yeah, girls don’t work for me.” I said. “And guess what else.” Said Drake, taking the rope from me and hanging it to Ethan. “What?” I asked. “SNEAK ATTACK!” said Drake and he pushed me off. “Ahh!” I screamed. I curled into a ball and hit the water. When I came up I felt a sting on my thigh and turned where my back faced the water and squinted my eyes. I heard my friends, “Allie? ALLIE!” And then I heard four giant splashes. And then I felt hands touch me. I felt myself being lifted and then I felt the grass. There was a pain on my side. “Allie…” said my friends. A shadow covered me and I opened my eyes. It was blurry but I could make out the faces of Drake, Dylan, Ethan, and Sam. “Allie, you alright?” I opened my mouth to speak but then my eyes closed.

When I opened my eyes I was at home in bed. Mom was sitting beside me, holding a bowl. I smelled her chicken noodle soup and sat up. “Bought time you stir.” Said Mom, taking a pillow and putting it behind me. I laid on the pillow. “What happened?” I asked. “Doctor Samson came… and he said you have a big giant red spot on your thigh.” She said. “So he wrapped your stomach up. You been asleep for two weeks. He finally came back and thought you were dead. He removed it and said now you were fine. But you’re dead.” Said Mom. “So I’m in heaven?” I asked. “No, no you’re alive.” Said Mom, stroking my hair. “You’re alright sweet girl.” “Where’s my friends?” I asked, looking around. “They’ve been coming every day to check on you. They’re at school right now.” said Mom. She looked outside. “School’s about to be let out, come on, come get dressed.” Said Mom. I walked outside and grabbed the t-shirt and shorts I’d been wearing. Then I walked inside and put them on and then I  grabbed my books. It was filled with homework and essay assignments. I took a quill next to my bed and began doing my homework. I did every single sheet and then my friends came in. “Hey Allie.” They said. “Hey guys, where’d the homework come from?” I asked. “Mrs. Dennis, she wanted you to keep up on class work and essays.” Said Dylan, taking a piece of paper and handing it to me. I opened it and read;

Dear Miss Allie,

I’ve seen you in your pain but have kept giving on your work. Probably by the time you read this you will have a two week stack of papers. Your friends have been bringing them to you.

Hope you are well,

Mrs. Dennis

“She’s been giving homework out crazy ever since you’ve been hurt.” Said Sam. I laughed, “Maybe she’s crazy.” I said. We laughed. “Oh… where’s Ethan?” I asked. “He um… felt so sorry for you that he…” they laughed. “What? What’d he do?” I asked. “That he kissed you.” Said Sam.

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Kissed you… Kissed you… Kissed ME?! I sat up straight. “He kissed me?” I said. “Yeah, he’s been shy to come ever since then.” Said Dylan. “He kissed me…” I mumbled. “Yeah, it was pretty funny…” said Sam. “He kissed me…” I whispered. “Yeah he kissed you.” Said Drake. “He kissed me.” I said. “Ok now you’re being weird.” Said my friends. I got out of bed. “Allie, where are you going?” they asked, following me. “Out…” I said, putting on my boots. “Where to?” asked Drake. “Allie Johnson…” said Steve. I turned around. “What Steve?” I asked. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked. I looked at the door and then at him. “Out.” I said. I opened the door. “You come right back here.” Said Steve. “You’re stupid Steve.” I said and then I marched outside. I ran down the street to the lake and then I took off my boots. “Allie, what are you doing?” asked Dylan. “I have a feeling… that Ethan’s here.” I looked up at the tree. And then I began climbing the up to the ledge. “Ethan, here?” asked my friends. I took the rope and began climbing it. And at the end of the branch sat Ethan.

Chapter Three

I pulled the rope up and walked over to sit by Ethan. Ethan looked up and then down. I heard him gulp. “Did they… did they tell you?” asked Ethan. “Yeah…” I said, sitting down beside him. “Knew it.” Said Ethan. I looked at the view. “Nice view you got here.” I said. “Yeah…” said Ethan. I looked at Ethan. “You don’t have to be shy… I’m still the same.”I said. Ethan looked at me. “Yeah but we… we kissed.” Said Ethan. “Doesn’t matter Ethan, okay? There comes a stage where you have your first kiss.” I said. “But we are friends Allie. Not boyfriend and girlfriend. We’ll never be boyfriend and girlfriend.” Said Ethan. “You say that now because your nine.” I said. “When you get older you’ll like girls.” I said. “Yeah but I won’t love you!” said Ethan. I felt my heart break. Yeah, a little nine year girl who wasn’t even into boys had her broken by a boy. “Allie, something happened when I kissed you. We’ll never be the same.” Said Ethan. “Ethan, it’s alright, you just had to kiss me.” I said. “NO I DIDN’T ALLIE! YOU DON’T GET ONE STUPID THING! YOU JUST THINK I HAD TO KISS YOU! I DIDN’T HAVE TO!” he yelled at me. There were crickets, I felt tears. And I felt rain. I nodded. “Okay…” I stood up and began walking to the end of the branch. “What are you doing?” he asked. I put my hands so I could dive. “I’m diving.” I said. “You’re kidding me! What if you do a belly flop! Then you’ll die.” Said Ethan. “I thought you said you didn’t care about girls.” I said. Ethan  was silent. I closed my eyes and I dived. And I shot into the water like a bullet. And when I came up. Ethan was at the end of the branch. I shook my head, grabbed my boots and began running away from the creek.

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On Thursday, I turned in my homework, essays, and assignments. “Good job Allie.” Said Mrs. Dennis. I nodded. “Thank you.” I said. “Take your seat.” Said Mrs. Dennis. I walked over to my desk and sat again. I looked over and saw Chris staring at me again. I looked at Mrs. Dennis and she began our lesson.

After school, when it was let out Chris came up behind me. “Hey.” He said. I turned around. “Oh hi Chris.” I said. “Um, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the school dance?” he asked. I had forgotten all about the school dance. Every grade was having it. Even kindergarten. “Oh… um, I guess Chris. Thanks.” I said. “See ya tomommrow.” He said. When he walked away I ran up to my friends. “Hey have you heard about Ethan?” asked Dylan. “No what?” I asked. “Patty Sherlock asked him out. And he said yeah.” Said Sam. “Ethan? He said he didn’t like girls.” I said. “I know right? Oh I’m taking Claire Simmons to the dance.” Said Dylan. “I’m taking Rebecca Black.” Said Drake. “I’m taking… Well I’m wanting to take Taylor Creeks but she’s always having friends around her.” Said Sam. “Oh I’ll  ask for you.” I said. I walked over to Taylor Creeks. As always she had her friends around her. “Hey Taylor.” I said. “You don’t have boy cooties do you?” asked Taylor. “Uh… no.” I lied. “Anyways Sam is wanting to know if you will go to the dance with him.” I said. “Is he?” asked Taylor. “Yeah.” I said. “Hm… tell him… Y-E-S.” said Taylor. “But mix the letters up.” She said. “Okay…” I said. I walked over to Sam. “She said S-Y-E.” I said. “S-Y-E? What does that mean?” asked Sam. “The letters are mixed.” I said. “YES!” said Sam. “Yeah ‘bout time.” I said. We passed by Ethan. He was holding hands with Patty. I looked at Dylan, Drake, and Sam who were in the middle of talking about the dance then slid over to Ethan and Patty. “Hey Ethan.” I said. “What?” asked Ethan. “Hope you have fun at the dance and all.” I said, bowing my head. “Who would take you?” asked Patty. “Chris Smith.” I said. “The Chris Smith?” asked Patty. “Yeah.” I said. I looked at Ethan. “Bye.” I said. And then I slid back over to Dylan, Drake, and Sam. “Hey Allie, does your Mom have cookies?” asked Sam. “No, and today I can’t play today. I have chores.” I said. “We’ll help.” Said Dylan. “Okay.” I said. We arrived at my house. Mom was outside on the porch with my triplet brothers. Everybody else was on the farmyard with Steve. We walked out onto the farmyard. “Allie and your weirdo friends,” said Steve. My friends growled. “You kids… can um… feed the animals, and brush the horses.” “Okay.” We said. And we began with brushing the horses. We stroked their hair and put new horseshoes on them. Then we fed them and we were done. My friends went home and then I was left to do homework.

The next day I dressed in a blue gown. My mom brushed my hair and put it up nicely. Then she let me wear her special, special, special white high heel shoes. After a good breakfast and grabbing my books, my mom put lipstick on me. “Mom, I’m not twelve.” I said. “You are to me dear.” Said Mom, patting my head. Then I ran outside to catch up with my friends. They were wearing church pants, and a t-shirt and a belt. There were wearing nice church shoes. And their hair was greased. “Wow, are you going to church?” I asked. They gasped when they looked at me. “You aren’t Allie.” Said Dylan. “Of course I am!” I said. They laughed. And we walked up to school. I gasped when I saw everything there. Inside the classroom was a juice bar. There was Mrs. Smith, who was playing the harp and there was food table. “Wow, this is better than my house.” Said Drake. Chris came up and offered me his arm. I looked at my friends. “Bye guys.” I said. I took Chris’s arm and we walked to dancing stage. Mrs. Smith began playing music when there was a lot of people. Chris put both hands on my hips. I put both of my hands on his shoulders. And we began dancing. “You’re light on your feet.” Said Chris. “You’re the same.” I said. He twirled me and led me back, holding my back then brought me up again. “Wow, you take dancing lessons?” I asked. “Yeah.” Said Chris. “Whoa.” I said. He twirled me again. The music got slower and slower and at the end Chris stared me in the eyes. I stared in his eyes too. I mean his eyes were really blue. And then we both…. Kissed. I opened my eyes in our kiss. I was nine years old my family was around me. My friends were around me. Everyone had probably just seen me kiss Chris Smith. But Chris is popular so maybe they’ll think I’m cool for once. Maybe I’m not stupid to them. I closed my eyes again. And then I thought, What if he can taste the apple cinnamon lipstick?

Chapter Four

On Sunday we walked to church. Me and my family. When we got there we sat by the Smiths. Chris looked at me and I looked at him and then when nobody was looking he tossed me a note. I took the note and opened it and it said;

Do you want to go out with me?

Write yes or no

Out of the top corner of my eyes, I looked at Chris, and smiled and then I looked at the quill and ink bottle in the chair. I took the quill and dipped it in and wrote;

Yes

Then I slid it back to him and he opened it and then grinned at me. I smiled and took my bible and began to read along with the preacher. And then the preacher began saying a pray. I thought about what had all happened. I was now dating Chris Smith, I had kissed Chris Smith, Ethan had kissed me, I had skinned my thigh, Ethan yelled at me, I dived from the tallest oak in town, Ethan hated me and even most of all… Steve was actually pretty cool.

                The

                      End